Littlesister

Becca Anne I hope that takes care of the problem. Glad you are able to start on the garden now.

Mt. Rider, glad your ride did well and hoping you will get at least 2 more in this week. 

Annarchy, glad you and your MIL made it back home safe and sound. Leaving a day early to avoid that storm was a good idea.  

I have been going through more things and trying to figure a few things out for better organization.  Other than that, not much going on. My wood racks came in but with the rain I haven't been able to get them put together yet. GS will be off tomorrow I think so he will help with that. Today it was too cold to get the racks put together and I have one old one I need to paint. Hopefully tomorrow will be warmer. Haven't checked a weather report yet. 

Glad I don't eat jelly beans. I am betting those fruit rollups are the same. 

Just getting a few things put away where they belong. More boxes of stuff to go to Goodwill. Now I am to the point where I can move the things in my office to the places they need to go. So, getting there but it is slow. Still have those interruptions and the rain as far as getting to the sheds go doesn't help.

I did go outside to check the rain barrels. It was still a slight drizzle. Rain barrels are already full, and the overflow tubes are working on one but not the other one. So, need to check on that one. It might be twisted or something but an easy fix. So that is 100 gals of water I have for watering pots and garden. Will use the well only when the barrels are about emptied for watering the garden. 

Going through more stuff and was going to the shed to pull out the raised bed boxes but it's raining today. So that won't get done today.  Knee was hurting all night, so put an ice pack on it but it really doesn't help much. Seems the heating pad does a much better job. Can't get into the Orthro doctor till April 24th. So will deal with it till then. Shoulder right now isn't hurting and I'm not going to push it. 

GD wanted me to keep the baby so she and her DH can go do somethings but haven't heard a word. Maybe with the rain they are staying home and not bringing the baby out in it. But they should let me know something one way or the other. 

Jeepers, that is sort of what happened to me. I had 2 things that came due and had to be changed around. They were not stocks but an IRA retirement. It happens to me about every 5 years or so and 2023 was the year for 2 of them. So, that is when I take money out for personal use and then the rest is reinvested. It does make doing your taxes much more complicated.  I just got caught off guard because taxes were supposed to be taken out and my financial planner didn't do it. He will be hearing about it for sure as I am not talking a small amount to pay to IRS it is a good sum plus having to pay the state as well. I have the SS taken care of now as soon as they get the paperwork and will be calling about the retirement stuff to straighten that out next week. 

euphrasyne, that is a good idea, but I had a lot of changes to make with my retirement and on the house, I had to threaten them to get the paperwork for the taxes. I just got that this past Saturday. Usually, I would have had mine done much earlier than this, but the house held that up. I had to threaten them with the IRS and the BBB. 

I have a tax lady that does mine. She doesn't charge much so I am happy with her, and I don't have to deal with it. She offered me a job today also. It is so tempting but don't think I want to work. Next year I won't have to go through all this mess. I am getting things set up now, so I won't be paying like this year. Yeah, I got caught off guard. Too much going on this past year. 

My tax lady and I went over some options and they are good ones so getting everything in place. 

GS helped me get the second rain barrel set up the right way before going to work. The guy had that up right against the gutter. It was supposed to be 2 inches below the gutter. So got that set up right now. Supposed to start raining tonight so will find out how they will do. I like these as they have a tube that goes from the top down to the bottom for overflow. I can connect another one to these and the overflow will pour into the second rain barrel. Something I may or may not do later. 

Sat down and balanced check book and paid off all bills. So, I no longer have charge card bills and I have put those away in a safe place. Cutting way back more so than what I have done to get the gutters paid off. That shouldn't take me too long to do. I am wanting to get down to where I only have the house payment, utilities, and insurances. Going to keep it down to that as long as possible. As to doing anything else on the house I am taking a break for the rest of this year and concentrate on garden and downsizing. 

Jeepers, they will do anything to go after seniors as they think we are stupid and don't know anything. Little do they know. 

Jeepers, it depends on how much you make from my understanding. Over a certain income you pay taxes on it. This is on my DH's SS. They were not taking Federal taxes out. I do not pay state taxes on it. Just the Federal. My yearly income is way up there so that disqualifies me from paying taxes on SS. 

Jeepers, that is how the IRS got me. For one I didn't realize that SS was not taking taxes out of my SS checks each month. So, my tax lady gave me a paper to get that done. 12% will be coming out of my SS checks each month. I also moved money around and my financial planner didn't take any taxes out after I told him to. So, I got caught on that one. But I will have to deal with it. Got the SS part taken care of and just need to get the rest I need to check on what is what. Next year I should be ok. I didn't realize I made that much money either for the year. I just have all kinds of surprises sneaking up on me. Then I went to mailbox to get the mail and got what I thought was a charge card bill. Nope, I have a small credit on my charge card. Not a lot but will pay for the garden soil I need. 

Jeepers, I hope all goes well with both the heart issues and the kidneys.  for a good outcome. 

That looks really good Necie.   now I have to go fix me something for lunch. 

I think I also have a couple of bottles but are still in date. it is good to know these things.

Jeepers, when I get someone that can't speak good English, I tell them to give me a person that speaks English. Most of the time it works. 

Midnightmom, we used to have a couple of those motion activated fish. Had lots of fun with them. GD2 took them. She wore those out.  

We loved going fishing. Still do. Just not in a boat any longer. 

Annarchy, I have seen so much of what you are witnessing with the illegals. But it has only been on TV.  It is really bad, and I fear it will get worse.  Stay safe while you and your MIL are there. 

Went and got taxes done.  IRS got me good. So, I'm dishing out money that I don't want to give to the IRS. But it is what it is. But my tax lady gave me some very good tips to stop that for next year.  So got some paperwork to do. Just what I need more business to take care of. 

Will be working in yard in a bit. Suppose to be getting rain at some point soon, so house can wait till I can get a couple of things done before the rain comes. 

GS got his car back in time to go to work.  It was the starter.  I like that place I told him to take it. I heard a lot of good things about it. They are honest and the price for the starter was cheaper than all the other places we checked out.  I am going to start going there for my oil changes and inspections. They got his car fixed fast. 

Got my bedroom cleaned up, dusting and mopping floor, changed sheets and remade bed. So that job is done. Then took GS to pick up his car. Came home and straightened up the kitchen a bit. 

I didn't know this either but hoping for a very happy life together for them. I like watching her videos but haven't had time to watch anything for a while. I do get on here when I am taking a break but that is about it. 

Need to get back on to Sutton Daze also. She's good also. 

Necie sounds like you had a relaxing day. That's a good thing.

This morning, I took care of the Real Estate tax and got that out of the way. It's not due till June but I rather just get it paid now than wait till June. Now I don't have to worry about that till Dec. 

After unsubscribing from all the junk in my E-mail, so far, I only had one advertising I had never heard of. So that just went into the spam. Computer is now working much better than before. 

Working on a front yard flower bed. 

Using cinder blocks for the base, and a board across those. I will have several planters across the board up off the ground. (Rabits) love my plants.  I am going to plant:

chives, parsley, cilantro, basil, and oregano. Not sure what else yet. It will depend on how many pots I can get across an 8-foot span.  Behind the pots, I want to plant sunflower seeds but those will be planted directly in the ground. I use my aero Garden for lettuce. Thinking about maybe 2 cherry tomato plants, one on each side of the bench.  Just need to first get the flower bed cleaned out and mulched. Then I can set it all up. 

Jeepers, OOTO is right about the housing bubble. Get the house on the market now. There is going to be a housing bubble and you need to get ahead of it.  Even if you have to just pack what you haven't gone through yet, just box it up to go and go through it at the other house. At least you will be ahead of the curve when the housing bubble pops. I lost my opportunity to sell over 3 years ago because of the market. You need to do it now to get the best price. 

Annarchy, glad you made it to Texas safe and sound and  for safe return back home again. 

Ambergris, that is a good idea. She can help me with the inside heavy things. GS if not at work would be happy to get the Christmas stuff back onto the loft in shed as soon as I can get the garden stuff out of the way.  With my knee, GD can clean under beds and do bathrooms also. But I won't get my hopes up. 

We ended up towing GS's car to the shop. It might be the starter but still not sure. We will know more tomorrow when they call. In the meantime, he is using my car. So, I just need to do my stuff in the mornings so car will be free for him to go to work.

Spent early this evening doing work on computer. Cleaning out the E-mail junk is a joke. For everything I unsubscribe to even though most of it I never subscribed to I end up with more junk mail. But will see. I think I need to get an add blocker again. That did help but when the other computer started having issues and I started using the small one, I never put one on this computer. So will maybe get that done tomorrow. And since GS was using my computer to do his taxes, now I get junk from Turbo Tax. I swear they all have eyes on you and send you junk they think pertains to your interest.  My computer needs blindfolders over their eyes.

Jeepers, I would just forget the staging both ways. It's not worth it. When and if I get to sell this house. It will be shown as empty all the way around. I would have to hire a moving van as I would have no help from family. I would pack up personal belongings, computers and such and put in car to new house but the moving van would have to move the bulk of it. Moving vans are not cheap. 

I love fish. DH used to go deep sea fishing and we had fresh tuna, tilapia, and a couple of other fish. canned tuna can't hold a candle to fresh tuna. We either made a salad or grilled it on the grill. That was some good eating back in the day. 

I am so tired right now. It's like something just zapped my energy. And my knee is killing me. All I did was drive GS to gas station and we tried again to jump the battery and still nothing. Called the tow truck so car is in shop. The guy on tow truck checked the battery and that is good. He thinks it is the starter, but we will hopefully know tomorrow. In the meantime, I will just let him use my car to go to work till he gets his back. I could drive him there and pick him up, but he has days he might not get off till 2am. I'm not picking him up in the middle of the night. It's only temporary and we will get through this. Can't say much for his bank account as this isn't going to be cheap. Tow truck and the repair. 

GD got laid off work and now she wants me to keep the baby twice a week so she can clean her house. So, after keeping the baby 5 days a week. When do I get to clean my house? She said she is not going to get another job, which her plan was to be a stay-at-home mom. That is good. But since she is staying home and not working, I need the time to get my stuff done. I still have all the Christmas boxes sitting in the dining room and they have to go. I need time to do things I need to get done. Sometimes I feel like I am being taken advantage of. No offers of any help yet either. So, I am on my own. GS helps on his days off with outside work and if I need help with something in the house, he will help me with that. Despite all the issues he has put me through, he will help around here a little bit. 

DD wants me to come visit During Easter, but with my knee and shoulder it is not happening. Just driving to the garage with GS to give them the keys and such started my knee hurting as well as my shoulder. I'm staying home for Easter. 

Not going to make it to JoAnn's this morning and probably not to GDs for lunch. GS went to the store last night and called me. Car won't start. I went down to store with the jumper cables and nope not the battery.  Seems it's the starter. He's sleeping now as he didn't go to bed till after 4 this morning. He's upset about having a car repair as he doesn't know yet about paying taxes or getting money back. Reason I keep telling him to save money for a rainy day. Things happen. So, I have another day of not being able to do things I need or want to do. But he can't help the car breaking down. Don't know yet if he will have to have it towed back to house or not.  Waiting for neighbor to come home from work and get him to go over to look at it before making any decisions on what to do. My GD's DH can put in the starter for GS if that is what it is for sure. Otherwise, it will have to go in shop depending on what other possibility it might be. 

Mother, you are right about that in many ways and that does include caring a lot. 

Jeepers, you just need that little push. You will get there. You have done well for what you have been through. 

Jeepers, you will get through this. 

My doctor called me this afternoon.  I have a lot of fluid on my right knee and bursitis in my shoulder. He wants me to keep my knee elevated at all times with ice packs and no walking. Yeah, right like that's going to happen. He's sending me to orthopedic doctor. All they are going to do is send me to therapy. But will see if it helps. They are supposed to call me to set up an appointment at some time. Therapy is what I had when I had both tenuities and bursitis in my right shoulder and that helped but not sure about the knee with being fluid. But at least this time he did something about it and took X-Rays this time.  This issue has been going on for too long, so maybe now that I know what is going on, I can get it taken care of soon. 

Almost forgot. GS woke up and when he sat up toys went everywhere. He was like what is all this.  Sent a picture to his cell phone. Then he got to laughing and said next time put toys all over me for my age. 

That was good. I haven't heard the can, can in a long, long time. But for exercise. Nope, not going to happen. I would probably fall on my face doing those kicks.

Jeepers, JoAnn fabric sales the Gutterman. It is where all the spools of thread are. Get it while you can if they have it on sale now. I don't know if it is on sale yet, but they have coupons also. 

They finished the gutters a while ago. So now it is all done. Looks really good and the rain barrels are all set up now. 

Baby went home a little while ago. She fell asleep in my arms watching U-Tube baby shows on my computer. She loved them. They were the old nursery rhymes. Went right out and slept for a while.  As for GS, he is off work today and fell asleep on couch. Took baby toys and put all around him and took a picture. Have to say when he wakes up it is going to be hilarious. Stuffed animals, teething rings, all kinds of toys. 

Tomorrow, I am going to JoAnn fabrics first thing in the morning and then head over to GD's house to lunch. Don't know where we are going yet. But it will be I nice day to get out and spend some time with her and the baby doing something other than her working and my babysitting.